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'We are seeking urgent clarification on whether the secretive, intrusive nature of the recording of individuals represents a breach of data protection legislation.'

He added that HSCA is urging bosses to 'end their Big Brother monitoring' and invest in recruitment and retention - 'not initiatives that will sap morale further'.

UNISON, which has 1.3 million members, said it was aware of the devices, but confirmed none of its members have voiced concerns.

But medics have branded the OccupEye 'Automated Workspace Utilisation Analysis' devices as as 'astonishing invasion of privacy' (pictured is a device)

The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) has written to Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust to condemn the gadgets (pictured)

Karen Towner, UNISON’s area organiser, said: 'We are monitoring the situation. But we do not believe it is a question of Big Brother monitoring.

HOW BAD WAS THE NHS WINTER CRISIS?

The NHS was 'brought to its knees' over the winter and hospitals were swamped, according to official performance statistics.

Some doctors described A&E units as war-zones and warned there was a lack of space, with some patients claiming they had to sleep on floors.

Chiefs were forced to cancel thousands of operations in order to cope with the unprecedented pressure.

Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt even admitted that it was the health service's 'worst ever winter'.

Hospitals were hit by cases of flu amid the worst outbreak in seven years - but some experts claimed a lack of funding was to blame.

Doctors have repeatedly begged for extra funding, which they claim is the only way to avoid another crisis next year.

Bodies representing nurses, doctors and paramedics have also warned that this year's pressure has yet to stop - and that it could continue into the summer.

'UNISON understands that workspace is at a premium so the estates department need to make best use of it.

'I have spoken with a local UNISON representative who sits on the trust’s Joint Negotiating and Consultation Committee.'

She added: 'The use of these devices was discussed by the committee last year.'

However, HCSA - which maintains its members were not given notice - has written to Chris Long, the trust’s chief executive, demanding an explanation.

The organisation, which isn't formally recognised by the trust, claims to have been given statements from doctors who wanted to remain anonymous.

One of those doctors reportedly said: 'One by one we started to notice these little boxes attached beneath our desks.'

According to HSCA, another added: 'There is a basic level of dignity which one expects going about one’s job.

'We should be fully focused on patient care, but instead we are spending time worrying about the time and motion data being harvested by trust management.'

Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust insists the technology is only being used to determine how often workspaces are occupied.

A paralysed woman spoke from beyond the grave to slam the terrible treatment she received at the hospital earlier this year.

The contents of 30-year-old Katie Gray's diary from her final days at Hull Royal Infirmary were read out at an inquest into her death.

According to documents she was 'accused of being an alcoholic,' 'wasn't showered for three weeks', and even asked by a nurse: 'Is it not time you got out of bed and moved around?'

WHAT DID THE TRUST SAY?

A spokesperson for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'As a publicly funded organisation, we have a duty to make best use of our workspaces and not spend money unnecessarily on equipment we don’t need.

'We have been using the electronic mobile technology, widely used across both public sector and commercial organisations, for about a year to ensure we make the best use of our resources in line with recommendations published by the Department of Health and the Lord Carter’s national review.

'Before we fit devices to desk, the normal procedure is to provide staff with verbal or written assurances during a pre-survey assessment, explaining what we are doing and the purpose of the survey. A list of frequently asked questions is also given to staff.

'We explain the devices do not record audio or visual elements but are triggered by movement and heat. They do not identify who has triggered the device or what they were doing at the time the device was triggered. No personal information is stored on the devices.

'Without knowing who has complained to the association, it is difficult for us to determine if the correct communications procedure was followed in this case. However, we are now checking to ensure the correct procedures were followed in the most recent surveys.

'The data received monitors the use of workspaces. If we find a desk is not being used, the public would rightly expect us to redeploy that to another part of the trust rather than the organisation spending money on more equipment.

'We would stress surveys are not carried out to monitor individuals but to ensure optimum space utilisation and the best use of the public’s money.'